Farewell
by WindKitsuneofDarkness
Summary: Tachibana Muneshige. Her husband. But a man she did not love." Mitsunari and Ginchiyo say their farewells as she leaves Sawayama. The romance, if any, is very vague. Implied prequel to 'Sworn to Fealty', but can be read as a standalone.


A/N: I've since edited this short story, edits which I hope added to the impact of this fleeting moment, rather than detracting from it.

"Well, Lord Ishida, after I escort my wife back to Tachibana Castle, I will attend to the most important few matters pertaining to my fief first, then in a fortnight or so I will return to Sawayama to attend the discussion on the battle against Ieyasu." Muneshige said, as he swung up onto his dark brown horse. "Ginchiyo, let us leave."

Ginchiyo hesitated – she had had half a mind to rebuke Muneshige that she took orders from no man. But a sudden thought crossed her mind, and she nodded mutely, grip tightening on the reins of her ashen stallion. She turned to face the chestnut-haired lord in front of her. "I thank you for your hospitality, Lord Mitsunari." She answered, hesitant to meet his gaze directly.

There was a brief pause, before Mitsunari inclined his head slightly to her. "Yes, that has been no problem, Lady Tachibana."

The simple formality of his reply had been expected, but stung nonetheless. It didn't make for farewell enough, not when this might be the final time they would ever meet. "And I thank you for all the support and friendship you have shown me over these few years." Ginchiyo added softly.

"That has been no problem... Ginchiyo." He added in a low tone.

The abrupt familiarity startled her. Ginchiyo's head snapped up, only to be stunned. For a long moment, she was transfixed by the whirl of emotions in his gaze, unable to tear her eyes away: an overwhelming sadness... a hint of regret... and anger, even. What was it all supposed to mean?

Before she could figure it out, Mitsunari looked away first, instead turning his gaze to the figure of Muneshige, who was speaking with the stablehand who had brought their horses. Recollecting herself, Ginchiyo forced herself to swing up into the saddle with studied ease. "...Farewell, Lord Mitsunari," she managed, finally.

Mitsunari inclined his head. "Farewell... Lord and Lady of the Tachibana."

Her breath involuntarily caught at his words. Muneshige would not catch the intended double meaning, but _she_ did.

"_I am Ginchiyo Tachibana, Lord and Lady of the Tachibana clan!" _How many times had she intoned those very words on the battlefield? Too many times to remember and keep track of. She fought down the memories of those times. It would not do if she were to show such emotions in front of the soldiers present in the courtyard, and more importantly...

"Well then, it is high time we should be on our way, my lady." Muneshige said finally; now that he was done talking, he was ready to leave. "I will see you soon, Lord Ishida."

Even as she cantered her warhorse after Muneshige's, Ginchiyo glanced back, and saw his solitary figure still standing there, watching them leave.

So, he had lost at Sekigahara.

The knowledge was neither assuring nor perturbing. But what discomfited her was the information that he had been publicly executed – a humiliation for any daimyo, and especially for a man like him, always so proud, almost to the point of being arrogant.

Muneshige had managed to escape the battlefield, though he had become an ally to the Tokugawa shogunate, preferring to remain on the safe side. She disliked the idea of being allied to the man who she had fought against so many times before, but she had no power now. It was Muneshige who wielded – and sometimes flaunted – the title of the Tachibana clan now.

She stood alone on the balcony, the cool night winds whipping her auburn hair about, but all this, she hardly noticed. "My lady, are you alright?"

She turned slightly to see Muneshige standing in the doorway, silently watching her. Tachibana Muneshige. Her husband.

But a man she did not love.

But the concern on his face was genuine enough, she supposed. Though his thicker-set features, dark grey eyes and black hair could never replace the image of light chestnut and gold.

"Yes, I'm fine."

Then she remembered the maelstrom she had witnessed for a brief moment in Sawayama, nearly a year ago.

A hand tightened around the cool metal of the war fan he had entrusted to her before she had left Sawayama. It was time to return this to him.

A/N: Well, after reading Anthony Bryant's book 'Sekigahara 1600: The Final Struggle for Power', I got a little depressed, so this fic just kinda took shape from the two lines 'Her husband. But a man did she not love.' and the idea of the two of them saying their farewells.


End file.
